Sheffield Sharks slay the Manchester Giants in front of bumper crowd

Atiba Lyons’ side defeated Manchester Giants 86-75 in the British Basketball League in front of a sellout attendance at the Canon Medical Arena.

Prentiss Nixon, who had top-scored in the defeat a day earlier, again led the Sharks in scoring, this time from a position in the starting five.

The 26-year-old forward had 20 points as Sharks emerged from an even first half with their neighbours from across the Pennines to take charge in the second half.

Jordan Ratinho contributed 18 points and five rebounds, and Rodney Glasgow gave them a surge from the bench with 16 points as Sheffield took the game away from Manchester to maintain their hopes of a top-four finish. Bennett Koch added 11 points, while homegrown talent Nate Montgomery had four points on 8.33 minutes as Lyons fielded put just eight players on the court.

On Saturday, Sharks suffered a heavy defeat on the road at Leicester Riders, going down 103-75.

They were never competitive at the Morningside Arena, falling 28-16 down in the first quarter before the Riders – who have struggled to hit their usual heights this season – edged into a 14-point lead by the half.

They doubled that by the end despite the Sharks winning the third quarter by two points.

Nixon top-scored with 17 points while Glasgow added 15.

Kipper Nichols, Devearl Ramsey and Koch all scraped into double figures.

Sharks’ British Basketball League schedule now takes a backseat as they and the league concentrate on the new BBL Trophy for the month of January, with Sheffield next in action at Surrey Scorchers on Saturday.